The Mentalist 6x04 Tag (Red-Listed)
by Jaskett4Eva
Summary: Here's my take on what should have happened after Lisbon and Hightower rescued Jane from Bob Kirland's cabin. A little conversation between Jane and Lisbon, leads to confession and agreement. Starts right after "five numbers that's a very manageable number" ! ENJOY xD


**The Mentalist 6x04 Tag (Red-Listed)**

Jane always said to her she was like an open book and was unable to keep secrets. Too bad her slip up about the "real" Red John suspect list had just proven him right.

It had almost cost her life in the process, but instead she ended up unconscious with Partridge's blood painted all over her face- the Red John mark.

Since that day, she couldn't help but have nightmares, sometimes she was the one who died by the hands of Red John, sometimes it was Jane and in those moments she felt bereft.

_would those nightmares ever leave her_ _?_

Then came Jane's fake list or may I call it the "red-herring", another lie or half hidden truth he didn't confide to protect her.

In the end all she could do was to limit the damages, by offering witness protection to those criminals whom in the eye of justice still deserve protection.

The result, one of them, Benjamin Marx ended up dead, another Richard Haibach-a known classed pedophile- was captured and tortured by Bob Kirkland from Homeland Security.

_What a mess_, she thought.

On top of it, Kirkland brought Jane along with Haibach into his cabin in the woods and threatened him to do God-knows-what.

Thanks to Hightower, they arrived just in time to the cabin where they found Jane tied up to a chair and Haibach in a closet, his face half burned up and his thumb cut off, but still alive.

She remembered the relief on Jane's face when they rescued him.

He immediately thanked Higtower and kissed her on the cheek.

Lisbon felt something get a hold on her gut, something very close to jealousy, but she pushed the feeling away, remembering how badly it had affected her. The last time she experienced treason, Jane had kissed Lorelai Martins in the interrogation room.

Jane sensed Lisbon's gaze burning at his back brighter than a smearing and bloody Red John smiley face painted on the wall.

So he caught her wrist and pulled her away gently, but Lisbon shot him a death glare.

"I told you about the fake list" Jane said

"yes you did" she retorted

What she really wanted to say is, _a couple of months later only after you realized your mistake,_ but she resisted the urge.

"then why is there a not-so-satisfied look on your face ?" Jane asked

"I'm fine, you're right I'm wrong we caught the killer" Lisbon said

_But you could have told me sooner and no one would have been tortured or killed_, she thought.

"this ain't about the list isn't it, something else is bothering you" Jane stated matter of fact

Lisbon wanted to know how far Jane could go about seeing through her.

"well I don't know you tell me" she said sarcastically

"okay fair enough, you want to know what drove Kirkland to such atrocity yet you can live with the ignorance but what you're more curious about is why did Higthtower got the be thanked and not you" Jane said

Lisbon fought all she could to hide her anger but she couldn't control it anymore.

"damn it Jane, wouldn't it just kill you to be a little bit more thankful for every time I get you out of your own mess" Lisbon said

Her face was convoluted into shear anger and Jane tried his best to avoid another argument with her like at the diner, because they _both_ knew how badly things ended up last time.

"nice choice of words" Jane said

"yeah I'm working on that" she said sarcastically

Sarcasm was one of the few things that held them together lately because each day _they_ got closer to Red John and each day the chase got them miles apart.

"the truth is Madeleine owed me a big favor. Almost four years ago I helped her and her family escape out of Red John's den"

"I already know that" Lisbon cut him abruptly

"let me finish" Jane said "when I let her go that night after we faked my kidnapping, she thanked me and gave me a peek on the right cheek, just like I did five minutes ago" Jane said

Lisbon suddenly felt stupid because she was blinded by her sense of betrayal towards her _partner_.

"why know ?" Lisbon asked still in defensive mode

"because I felt like it was the time, we're even now" Jane said

"what about me ?" Lisbon asked

She was scared of his answer but she asked anyway.

"oh I have better plans for you my dear" Jane said seriously

Lisbon looked at him in disbelief. She wandered what he meant by _better_.

"care to share" Lisbon said frowning

It was maybe a desperate attempt to pierce through the mystery that was Patrick Jane.

"someday" he told her with a solemn look on his face

He got away and this time it was her turn to call after him and he immediately turned around to look at her with his sharp blue eyes and pale face that said- I didn't sleep for two weeks, please call my doctor.

In the dim light of the warehouse, she could also see the lines of exhaustion and the dark circles under his eyes.

Since her first strategy didn't get him to open up, she tried a different approach.

"about Kirkland, what's his story ?" Lisbon asked

"I don't know" Jane said

Couple hours later, they received a call saying Kirkland had been executed. Apparently, cops add to use _deadly _force because he tried to escape.

Somehow, Lisbon was now 90% sure Jane was lying to her and that he knew more than he would ever tell her. When it came to Red John, so many things were left unsaid. But at least he was being more and more honest about his intentions towards her.


End file.
